Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Broccoli will never provide the mouthfeel of say, a good baked potato or even a roasted carrot, nor the pleasant crunch of fresh green bean or French breakfast radish, nor the heavenly aroma of sautéed shallots and mushrooms. But I don't have to choke it and its cousin, cauliflower, down if they are combined in some manner with cheese.

Originally, I looked for a bright orange topping, indicating a cheese sauce, over the florets. I thought that was the best I could hope for in consuming these vegetables, which I very much wanted to do, since they are packed with nutrition and cancer-fighting compounds. (See chart to right, courtesy of World's Healthiest Foods, whfoods.com.)

Then I discovered the mash. (Click on the word "mash" to go to a previous post and recipe.)

Last night, since the other two item planned for dinner were of the orange persuasion, I decided to highlight the broccoli by mixing it with feta cheese instead of cheddar. It was delightful, with a refreshing tang, and because the Greek feta was so salty, it needed no extra. I took a photo of it; it doesn't look like much on the plate, not pretty, but it's tasty. A pound of broccoli and 4 ounces of feta should make enough for 4 people, at about 70 calories per serving.

Lori K's Cafe delivers!

All about ...

I love photographing the world around me, whether cooking, working in the yard or traveling. I reviewed cookbooks, and reported and photographed my trips and wilderness adventures for The Sacramento Bee newspaper, where I was a copy editor and page designer for 21 years. // I've been cooking for large groups of people since I was in college. // I love learning and writing about food, and bettering my photography skills. // I currently live in Charlottesville, VA. // Questions? Leave a comment or reach me at lkrichardson@me. com.